# 1981–82 Boston Celtics season

The 1981–82 Boston Celtics season was the 36th season of the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Celtics entered the season as the defending NBA champions. They finished the season with the best record in the NBA.
Boston was notably defeated in a seven-game series with their bitter rivals, the Philadelphia 76ers; in the final game, with the contest well decided, fans chanted "Beat L.A.," helping kick off one of American sports' most famous fan chants.

## Draft picks

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
| 1 | 23 | Charles Bradley | SG | United States | Wyoming–Sr. |
| 5 | 95 | Glen Grunwald | C | United States | Indiana |

## Regular season
### Season standings

| Atlantic Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
| y-Boston Celtics | 63 | 19 | .768 | – | 35–6 | 28–13 | 20–4 |
| x-Philadelphia 76ers | 58 | 24 | .707 | 5.0 | 32–9 | 26–15 | 16–8 |
| x-New Jersey Nets | 44 | 38 | .537 | 19.0 | 25–16 | 19–22 | 12–12 |
| x-Washington Bullets | 43 | 39 | .524 | 20.0 | 22–19 | 21–20 | 7–17 |
| New York Knicks | 33 | 49 | .402 | 30.0 | 19–22 | 14–27 | 5–19 |
| # | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| 1 | z-Boston Celtics | 63 | 19 | .768 | – |
| 2 | y-Milwaukee Bucks | 55 | 27 | .671 | 8 |
| 3 | x-Philadelphia 76ers | 58 | 24 | .707 | 5 |
| 4 | x-New Jersey Nets | 44 | 38 | .537 | 19 |
| 5 | x-Washington Bullets | 43 | 39 | .524 | 20 |
| 6 | x-Atlanta Hawks | 42 | 40 | .512 | 21 |
| 7 | Detroit Pistons | 39 | 43 | .476 | 24 |
| 8 | Indiana Pacers | 35 | 47 | .427 | 28 |
| 9 | Chicago Bulls | 34 | 48 | .415 | 29 |
| 10 | New York Knicks | 33 | 49 | .402 | 30 |
| 11 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 15 | 67 | .183 | 48 |

### Record vs. opponents

1981-82 NBA Records :
| Team | ATL | BOS | CHI | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | KCK | LAL | MIL | NJN | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SAS | SDC | SEA | UTA | WAS |
| Atlanta | – | 1–5 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–4 |
| Boston | 5–1 | – | 4–2 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 6–0 |
| Chicago | 3–2 | 2–4 | – | 5–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–6 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 |
| Cleveland | 2–4 | 0–5 | 1–5 | – | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–6 | 0–6 | 0–6 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–5 |
| Dallas | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | – | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–5 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 3–3 | 1–1 |
| Denver | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | – | 1–1 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 5–0 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 2–0 |
| Detroit | 4–2 | 0–6 | 6–0 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | – | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 |
| Golden State | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 2–3 | 0–2 | – | 1–4 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 1–1 |
| Houston | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 4–1 | – | 2–0 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 6–0 | 2–0 |
| Indiana | 2–4 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | – | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–6 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–5 |
| Kansas City | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 1–1 | – | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 0–5 | 1–5 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 0–2 |
| Los Angeles | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | – | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 5–0 | 2–0 |
| Milwaukee | 3–3 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | – | 4–1 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–2 |
| New Jersey | 2–3 | 1–5 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 | – | 4–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 4–2 |
| New York | 1–5 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 2–4 | – | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–5 |
| Philadelphia | 3–3 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 5–1 | – | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 6–0 |
| Phoenix | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | – | 3–3 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 1–1 |
| Portland | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | – | 3–2 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 0–2 |
| San Antonio | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 5–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 2–3 | – | 3–2 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 |
| San Diego | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 2–3 | – | 1–5 | 1–4 | 0–2 |
| Seattle | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 5–1 | – | 5–0 | 1–1 |
| Utah | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 0–5 | – | 1–1 |
| Washington | 4–2 | 0–6 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — |

## Game log
### Regular season

1981–82 game log Total: 63–19 (home: 35–6; road: 28–13) :
October: 1–1 (home: 1–0; road: 0–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
October 30
Washington
W 124–100
Boston Garden
1–0
2
October 31
@ Milwaukee
L 103–119
MECCA Arena
1–1 :
November: 12–1 (home: 7–1; road: 5–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
3
November 4
Chicago
W 115–93
Boston Garden
2–1
4
November 6
Indiana
W 111–94
Boston Garden
3–1
5
November 7
@ Detroit
W 129–88
Pontiac Silverdome
4–1
6
November 10
@ Washington
W 90–84
Capital Centre
5–1
7
November 11
Kansas City
W 115–100
Boston Garden
6–1
8
November 13
New Jersey
W 111–97
Hartford Civic Center
7–1
9
November 14
@ Cleveland
W 92–91
Richfield Coliseum
8–1
10
November 17
@ Chicago
W 98–95
Chicago Stadium
9–1
11
November 18
Houston
L 104–106
Boston Garden
9–2
12
November 20
Milwaukee
W 112–89
Boston Garden
10–2
13
November 25
Golden State
W 122–101
Boston Garden
11–2
14
November 27
Washington
W 113–100
Boston Garden
12–2
15
November 28
@ Atlanta
W 98–90
The Omni
13–2 :
December: 9–5 (home: 6–0; road: 3–5)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
16
December 1
@ Indiana
L 87–90
Market Square Arena
13–3
17
December 2
Detroit
W 115–114
Boston Garden
14–3
18
December 4
Philadelphia
W 111–103
Boston Garden
15–3
19
December 5
@ New York
L 83–103
Madison Square Garden
15–4
20
December 9
New Jersey
W 109–100
Boston Garden
16–4
21
December 11
Atlanta
W 94–86
Hartford Civic Center
17–4
22
December 12
@ Atlanta
L 97–108
The Omni
17–5
23
December 16
Dallas
W 109–92
Boston Garden
18–5
24
December 18
@ Washington
W 99–98
Capital Centre
19–5
25
December 19
@ Philadelphia
L 118–123 (OT)
The Spectrum
19–6
26
December 22
Cleveland
W 120–116
Boston Garden
20–6
27
December 26
@ Kansas City
W 124–119 (OT)
Kemper Arena
21–6
28
December 29
@ Denver
L 123–128
McNichols Sports Arena
21–7
29
December 30
@ Utah
W 121–110
Salt Palace Acord Arena
22–7 :
January: 10–4 (home: 5–3; road: 5–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
30
January 2
@ Cleveland
W 106–103
Richfield Coliseum
22–8
31
January 6
Chicago
L 102–116
Boston Garden
23–8
32
January 8
Philadelphia
W 96–90
Boston Garden
24–8
33
January 10
Detroit
W 134–124
Hartford Civic Center
25–8
34
January 11
@ New Jersey
W 112–94
Brendan Byrne Arena
26–8
35
January 13
Atlanta
W 116–95
Boston Garden
27–8
36
January 15
@ Milwaukee
L 118–122
MECCA Arena
27–9
37
January 16
@ Detroit
W 128–120
Pontiac Silverdome
28–9
38
January 19
@ New York
W 111–107
Madison Square Garden
29–9
39
January 20
Indiana
W 112–103
Boston Garden
30–9
40
January 22
Seattle
L 106–118
Boston Garden
30–10
41
January 24
Portland
L 119–123
Boston Garden
30–11
42
January 27
New York
W 131–99
Boston Garden
31–11
43
January 28
@ Cleveland
W 116–104
Richfield Coliseum
32–11 :
February: 8–4 (home: 4–1; road: 4–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
44
February 2
@ Indiana
W 109–105
Market Square Arena
33–11
45
February 5
Denver
W 145–144
Boston Garden
34–11
46
February 7
Los Angeles
L 113–119
Boston Garden
34–12
47
February 10
@ Phoenix
L 110–112
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
34–13
48
February 12
@ San Diego
W 129–116
San Diego Sports Arena
35–13
49
February 14
@ Los Angeles
W 108–103
The Forum
36–13
50
February 17
@ Golden State
L 105–121
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena
36–14
51
February 19
@ Portland
W 127–117
Memorial Coliseum
37–14
52
February 21
@ Seattle
L 100–103
Kingdome
37–15
53
February 24
Utah
W 132–90
Boston Garden
38–15
54
February 26
San Diego
W 122–110
Boston Garden
39–15
55
February 28
Milwaukee
W 106–102
Boston Garden
40–15 :
March: 16–1 (home: 8–1; road: 8–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
56
March 2
@ Dallas
W 101–97
Reunion Arena
41–15
58
March 5
@ Houston
W 100–98
The Summit
43–15
59
March 7
New York
W 107–106
Boston Garden
44–15
60
March 8
@ Detroit
W 111–101
Pontiac Silverdome
45–15
61
March 10
Indiana
W 121–100
Boston Garden
46–15
62
March 12
@ New Jersey
W 113–109
Brendan Byrne Arena
47–15
63
March 14
Phoenix
W 105–92
Boston Garden
48–15
64
March 16
@ Washington
W 98–97 (OT)
Capital Centre
49–15
65
March 17
Atlanta
W 113–109
Boston Garden
50–15
67
March 21
@ Philadelphia
W 123–111
The Spectrum
52–15
68
March 23
@ Chicago
W 110–103
Chicago Stadium
53–15
69
March 24
Cleveland
W 136–115
Boston Garden
54–15
70
March 26
Detroit
W 125–104
Boston Garden
55–15
71
March 28
Philadelphia
L 98–116
Boston Garden
55–16
72
March 31
Washington
W 119–109
Boston Garden
56–16 :
April: 7–3 (home: 4–0; road: 3–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
73
April 2
@ Atlanta
W 110–107
The Omni
57–16
74
April 4
Chicago
W 114–112
Boston Garden
58–16
75
April 6
@ Milwaukee
L 116–122
MECCA Arena
58–17
76
April 8
@ New York
W 110–106
Madison Square Garden
59–17
77
April 9
New Jersey
W 106–103
Boston Garden
60–17
78
April 11
@ Philadelphia
W 110–109 (OT)
The Spectrum
61–17
79
April 13
@ Chicago
L 115–120
Chicago Stadium
61–18
80
April 14
Milwaukee
W 100–91
Boston Garden
62–18
81
April 16
@ New Jersey
L 96–113
Brendan Byrne Arena
62–19
82
April 18
New York
W 119–99
Boston Garden
63–19 :
1981–82 schedule :

### Playoffs

1982 playoff game log :
Conference semifinals: 4–1 (home: 2–1; road: 2–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
April 25
Washington
W 109–91
M. L. Carr (21)
Larry Bird (12)
Tiny Archibald (7)
Boston Garden 15,320
1–0
2
April 28
Washington
L 102–103
Larry Bird (26)
Bird, Parish (10)
Tiny Archibald (6)
Boston Garden 15,320
1–1
3
May 1
@ Washington
W 92–83
Robert Parish (25)
Parish, Archibald (13)
Tiny Archibald (5)
Capital Centre 15,035
2–1
4
May 2
@ Washington
W 103–99 (OT)
Robert Parish (28)
Robert Parish (15)
Tiny Archibald (4)
Capital Centre 16,295
3–1
5
May 5
Washington
W 131–126 (2OT)
Robert Parish (33)
Robert Parish (13)
Tiny Archibald (11)
Boston Garden 15,320
4–1 :
Conference finals: 3–4 (home: 2–2; road: 1–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
May 9
Philadelphia
W 121–81
Bird, Parish (24)
Larry Bird (15)
Larry Bird (10)
Boston Garden 15,320
1–0
2
May 12
Philadelphia
L 113–121
Tiny Archibald (24)
Larry Bird (14)
Tiny Archibald (13)
Boston Garden 15,320
1–1
3
May 15
@ Philadelphia
L 97–99
Cedric Maxwell (18)
Larry Bird (13)
Larry Bird (11)
Spectrum 18,364
1–2
4
May 16
@ Philadelphia
L 94–119
Robert Parish (18)
Larry Bird (9)
Gerald Henderson (7)
Spectrum 18,364
1–3
5
May 19
Philadelphia
W 114–85
Robert Parish (26)
Larry Bird (20)
Larry Bird (8)
Boston Garden 15,320
2–3
6
May 21
@ Philadelphia
W 88–75
Kevin McHale (17)
Larry Bird (17)
Danny Ainge (7)
Spectrum 18,364
3–3
7
May 23
Philadelphia
L 106–120
Robert Parish (23)
Robert Parish (14)
Larry Bird (9)
Boston Garden 15,320
3–4 :
1982 schedule :